Cell Phones

BLU Vivo One Pros & Cons Review

- Analysis by KJ David

BLU's 2018 Vivo One tries to blur the line between smartphone and phablet by rocking a 5.5-inch screen with an expansive 18:9 aspect ratio (As of this specs-driven review, most low- and middle-class smartphones stick to the old-fashioned 16:9 setup). Regrettably, its key pro is tied up with some displeasing cons, including an unpromising 1440 x 720 HD+ resolution and a 293ppi-only pixel density , both putting it on a lower level versus some popular phablets with tantamount screen real estates.

Modestly powering its pros and cons from inside the engine room are a substandard (by 2018 measures) 1.3GHz MediaTek 6739 quad-core 64-bit processor and a 2GB RAM that shies of the 3GB-and-higher RAMs boasted by some of its mid-range rivals. While its four-core-only engine obviously shies of those used by most octa-core phones on the market, however, the Vivo One does come with a 570MHz IMG GE8100 GPU that's tailored to its 18:9 display and Split Screen function -- lets the user use two apps simultaneously.

Although its 12-megapixel main camera is nothing worth calling home about when it comes to raw pixel resolution, it does feature a dual-LED flash that not many mid-end Androids offer. Additionally, it sports a tolerable 8-megapixel selfie camera equipped with its own dedicated LED light . By the way, feel free to check out our list of the best selfie phones here, which features a few models that go beyond just a frontal flash to spice up their selfie shooters.

Also among the BLU Vivo One's pros and cons are a 3000mAh battery that passes our expectations of a 2018 mid-range Android phone and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner coupled with an encrypted file management system . As for storage, the Vivo One does not go beyond 16GB of memory , which is made even more disappointing by the fact that it only supports up to 64GB of external space . In contrast, a good number of its contemporaries lug 32GB's worth of internal storage and support up to 128GB of memory expansion.

Its features are sandwiched between a 2.5D-curved glass touch panel and an aluminum housing , while some minor features include standard 4G LTE connectivity, dual SIM card slots (not uncommon among BLU's unlocked smartphones), and the Android 7.1.1 Nougat operating system.

Offered in colors like Blue and Gold, the 5.5-inch Vivo One caters to mid-range smartphone shoppers looking for a wide-screen phone with a respectable battery capacity.